SailorStar9: Anyway, Chapter 25 goes up, this is Chapter 26. To all my non-reviewing readers, I love you all! Will love you more if you review! *hugs all round!*

Disclaimers: I do not own both the animes. However, I do own the pairing, I hope.

Chapter 26: Dream Escape

"This place is starting to remind me of everyone we've lost in battle." Fabia remarked.

"Losing him wasn't your fault." Aranaut assured. "Hold on tight." He picked up the two girls and headed off.

"Mistress Kazarina, wait." Lumagrowl protested, Kazarina was preparing her machine to take in Eva's Life Force that the Golden Apple had absorbed. "The energy level isn't 100%. Something must have been damaged by the explosion outside."

"The 'Pillar's luck seems endless." Kazarina snorted. "Find out what's wrong and fix it."

"Power is restored to 80%." Lumagrowl reported. "90%, 100%."

"Looks like your luck is finally up, Eva." Kazarina laughed. "It doesn't matter what you do." She taunted. "Nothing can break these two," she nodded to the brainwashed Dan and Jake. "From my hypnosis."

"What's happening?" Lumagrowl was stunned when Jake knocked Kazarina aside. "How did he break free of the hypnosis?"

"What do you…" Jake grinned.

"Want to know?" Coredem finished.

"The bond between Bakugan and battler transcends the hypnosis." Kazarina explained. "If one breaks free of its power, then the other follows immediately."

"Dan!" Fabia shouted, Aranaut breaking through the roof.

"Fabia, I've got Dan." Jake hurried over.

"Mama!" Mavelle spotted her unconscious mother secured to the stone cross.

"You're not getting Eva back from me." Kazarina swore.

"Ability activate, 'Fist Alley'!"" Fabia went into battle.

"Bakugan brawl, Bakugan stand!" Kazarina took to the battlefield.

"Hold on, Mom!" Mavelle dashed over to her mother. "Hm, what would Dad do in this situation?" she mused. "I know!" she beamed. "Strata Star Power!" she transformed into her Senshi form. "Strata Gale!" she sent two crescent-shaped energy attacks at the locks securing Eva. "Mama…" she whispered, the older female collapsed on the ground. "She's so cold."

"Mavelle." Dan and Jake were beside the mother-daughter pair, Jake having broken Kazarina's hypnosis on Dan.

"Jake, get the Golden Apple." Dan instructed.

"On it." Jake nodded. "Now what?" he wondered, the shining fruit in his hand.

"Destroy it?" Sailor Strata suggested.

"That could do it." Dan nodded.

"Stand back." Sailor Strata warned. "Anger of Wind!" she sent a violent wind storm at the metallic apple, shattering it and enabling the contained energies to return to its owner.

"Well, you can see she's definitely Shun's daughter." Jake joked.

"Hey, should've you feel a little grungy?" Dan grinned.

"How about a game of fetch?" Jake teased.

"Bakugan brawl, Bakugan, stand!" both Brawlers joined in the battle.

"This reunion will have to wait until later." Kazarina stated, jumping onto Lumagrowl. "Now Lumagrowl, retreat."

"We'll be back." Lumagrowl promised, freeing through the wall.

"Get back here, you coward." Aranaut gave chase. "We'll finish this now."

"It's Dan." Marucho beamed, the four Bakugan burst out of the hole bearing their Brawlers.

"And Jake." Shun agreed.

"Faster Drago, we can't let them get away." Dan urged.

"Looks like they're back to normal." Ren noted. "And they've got Eva back as well. We get to settle the score too."

"Where's Kazarina running to so fast?" Gill wondered.

"Let's join the action." Ren suggested. Distracting Krakix with a blast from his blaster, Linehalt took off.

"After them, Krakix." Gill ordered.

"Battle Gear Ability activate, 'Barias Gear Thunder Bolt'!" Kazarina activated her Card, the out-surge of Haos energy reducing the four Bakugan back to their ball forms.

"Where did they go?" Fabia wondered after the light died off.

"Dan." Shun hurried over.

"Jake." Marucho waved.

"We didn't know you were gone." Shun joked, sliding an arm around Eva's waist.

"Prat." Eva smacked him playfully.

"Okay, I deserved that." Shun grinned.

"We were so worried." Marucho supplied.

"Thanks for saving us." Drago remarked.

"Fabia deserves the credit." Shun explained.

"No, it was a group effort." Fabia corrected.

"Auntie Fabia's right." Mavelle beamed. "You know what happens in first person shooters when you leave your base unprotected?"

Shun laughed, "Oh, I get it."

"Whatever happened, it's good to have all of you back." Ren added.

"Now all of us are back together, we should be unstoppable." Marucho boasted.

"How touching." Kazarina taunted. "I think I might cry."

"So, what happens next, huh?" Airzel asked. "A group hug?"

"What are we waiting for?" Stoica pressed. "Now we've got them altogether in on spot, why don't' we crush them?"

"I guess we're not the only ones who've reunited." Shun mused,

"Well, we still outnumber them." Ren reminded. "Eight to four."

"Wait a second," Eva voiced. "Where's Barodius?"

"Yes, that's strange." Drago agreed. "I'll expect Dharak to be here to fight me."

"I'm sensing a disturbance." Dragonoid Colossus informed the group. "The Sacred Orb is agitated. There's trouble on Neathia."

"You were so easy to fool." Gill taunted. "It's pathetic."

"What the heck?" Dan exclaimed. "Dharak's broke through the third shield."

"How is that possible?" Drago was confused.

"His DNA should've kept him out." Eva argued.

"Don't you remember, Princess?" Kazarina taunted. "You're the one who gave him the key."

"Aranaut, without the third shield, our home would be laid to waste." Fabia breathed.

"Get ready, everyone." Dragonoid Colossus voiced. "We must return to Neathia immediately." He manifested in the sky.

"Not so fast, Brawlers." Kazarina snapped.

"Bakugan brawl, Bakugan stand." Gill, Kazarina, Stoica and Airzel summoned their Bakugan, blocking the group's path.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.